Stepladder attachment



March 29, 1960 R. H. CARTER 2,930,442

STEPLADDER ATTACHMENT Filed NOV- 5, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ralph H.Carter ,8 INVENIOR. v

BY WWW 12% .mlllJHll ll March 29, 1960 R. H. CARTER 2,930,442

STEPLADDER ATTACHMENT Filed Nov. 5, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ralph H.Gar/er INVENTOR.

BY $0M Unit-ed States-Patent 2,930,442. STEPLADDER ATTACHMENT Ralph H.Carter, Providence, RJ. Application November s, 1958, Serial No. 772,128

2 Claims. or. 182-120 This invention relates tostepladder attachmentsand more particularly to a holder for a stepladder in orderto havevarious and sundry articles located in a place convenient to the user ofthe. stepladder.

An .object of the invention is to provide a practical attachment for astepladder to hold tools, nails, paint buckets, paint brushes, screws, awater pail or any other article capable of being supported by theattachment on a stepladder thereby saving the user of the ladder manysteps climbing and descending the ladder and thereby making the dutiesof the one using the ladder considerably easier. The attachment ispreferably secured to the top step of a conventional stepladder so thatthe articles supported by the stepladder are at approximately kneeheightwhen the user of the ladder is at or near ladder, than is provided withthe conventional shelf on a ladder.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stepladder attachmentwhich is preferably secured to the top step of the ladder and whicheffectively retains one or more articles in such a position with respectto the user of the ladder, that the attachment very materiallyfacilitates any number of tasks that are performed with the aid of astepladder.

A further object of the invention is to provide an attachment for-astepladder which makes the use of the stepladder considerably safer byholding the necessary articles contained so that they will not fall,slip or slide or roll when the ladder rocks during the normal use of aconventional stepladder.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout,

and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front view of a ladder having an attachmentconstructed in accordance with the invention on the top step thereof.

Figure 2 is a side view of the attachment in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top view of the attachment in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a top view of the attachment showing it in an alternate use.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1but showing a roller tray in place on the ladder attachment.

7 Figure 6 is a sectional view similar to thatin Figure 5 but showing apail in place of the roller tray.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7--7 of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of one of the supporting sides of theattachment.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of an insert constituting part of theattachment.

In the accompanying drawings there is a fragment of a stepladder 10, thefragment having top step 12, ladder rails 14 and 16 together with oneother step 18. Since the ladder is conventional and is not structurallyaltered by the attachment 20, further details of the ladder arenotgiven. Attachment 20 has a pair of sides 22 and 24, each formedessentially the same, one side being the left side and the other sidebeing the right side. .The lower extremities of sides Hand 24, each ofwhich is preferably made of a flat panel, have means by which to couplethe sides to the top step 12 of the ladder; These means consistpreferably of panels 26. and 28 which are attached to and which protrudelaterally from the sides 22 and 24. There are deep slots 30 and 32 in ll owever, an additional precaution is taken to assure that the sideswill remain firmly secure on the top step 12 of the ladder, thisprecaution being in the form; of a strip 40 having two notches 42 and 44of a depth to accommodate the upper part of each panel 26 and 28. Thestrip is rested on the top surface of step 12 with the notches 42 and 44receiving panels 26 and 28 as described (Fig. 7) thereby assuring thatthe sides 22 and 24 will not slip sideways.

Shelf 48 is securely attached to the upper ends of sides 22 and 24. Theattachment may be made by having a pair of slots 50 and 52 (Fig. 3) inshelf 48 accommodating the short tongues 54 at the upper extremity ofeach side 22 and 24 and above the short lateral brackets 56 and 58formed on panels 22 and 24 beneath the tongue 54. This forms a rigidconnection between shelf 48 and its sides 22 and 24.

Shelf 48 has a central opening or aperture 60 of a size to accept thetapered side wall 62 of a conventional pail 64 and frictionally retainit in place. The aperture has a circular rim 66 located concentricallywith respect to it and on the upper surface of shelf 48. It is held inplace by wood screws 68 or by other conventional fasteners. The rim isan upstanding collar-like part that has a diameter slightly larger thanaperture 60 but smaller than the disc 70 which is. adapted to be placed60. The 'disc has a square (or other shape) defined by small beadingsides 72 to form a confined area within which to accommodate smallobjects, for instance brads, screws, nails, etc. When located within theconfines of rim 66, the disc 70 completely covers aperture 60, and itmay be used with the container 74 side up or facing down therebyproviding a smooth surface for receiving tools or any other article.

Rim 66 has another function and that is to hold a bail 76 of aconventional roller tray 78. The roller tray (Fig. 5) is ordinarilyprovided with a sloped part of its bottom'wall and a bail 76. The bailis engaged in a downwardly opening slot 80 lying along a chord of thecircular rim 66 thereby attaching the roller tray 78 to the rim 66.Another portion of the bottom of the roller tray rests upon the upperflat surface of the rim 66.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 5 there are numerous openings 82 of variousshapes in the shelf 48. These openings are of many shapes and many sizesto accommodate various articles, and it is intended that these openingsbe used'in accordance with the prerogative of the owner of theattachment. It is apparent, though, that paint brushes, a hand saw,bottles, etc., may be accepted in the openings, some being circular,others being oyal and Patented Mar. 29, 1960' saw. Further, the topsurface of shelf 48 may be formed with a tray or compartment 86 made bythree beading sides 88 which terminate at one edge of rim 66. If othertrays are found desirable or necessary, they may be added. Furthermore,the numerous variety of articles that may be held on the shelf 48 is sovariable that the prerogative of the owner, of the attachment will, byand large, be the guide by which to select which openings to use andforwhat purpose. It is not intended that the invention be limited by thetype of articles retained conveniently in place by the various trays,apertures, slots and the like in the shelf 48.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An attachment for a stepladder comprising a pair of oppositeelongated panels having deep longitudinal central slots thereinextending inwardly from one end thereof and terminating short of theother ends of the panels, whereby said panels areadapted to straddle andlit transversely over a step ladder top step with said other ends of thepanels extending outwardly of said top step and said panels beingremovably attached to said top step, a pair of upright side membershaving lower ends attached to said other ends of said panels with saidside members rising substantially above said panels and whereby saidside members are offset to one side of a stepladder top step to whichthe panels are attached, a shelf on the upper ends of said side membersembodying de vices for confining various articles thereon, and atransverse strip overlying and cross connecting said panels and having abottom face flush with one side of said slots to seat on top of astepladder top step to which the panels are attached, said panels beingmortised into said strip to cross connect said panels.

2. An attachment according to claim 1, said shelf having a portionoverhanging said strip whereby said shelf will in part overlie astepladder top step to which said panels are attached.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,373,173 Dazinskiene Mar. 29, 1921 1,915,958 Skirrow June 27, 19332,802,702 Rose Aug. 13, 1957 2,840,291 Becker June 24, 1958 FOREIGNPATENTS 723,243 Germany July 31, 1942

